the spirit And John the Apostle of Christ often exhorteth him that hath an Ear to hear what the Spirit saith Rev. 2.7 11 17 29. and 3.6 13 22. And by the preaching of the true Ministers of Christ many came to receive the Teachings of the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost which is the same and were led by it Rom. 8.16 Isa 54.13 14. Jer. 31.32.33 John 6.45 Heb. 8.10.11 and so became Children of God And it was truly said among them the Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and so they were all taught of God as it was Prophesied of them They were taught of God by his Grace Light Spirit or Word being one and the same though called by several other Names and Appellations besides what is before here written according to the most suitable Expressions whereby to shew the Operations and Effects of it to the Understandings and Capacities of all The Apostle John likewise calleth it the Unction Joh. 2.20.27 or Anointing writing thus Ye have an Unction from the Holy One and ye know all things and again the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no Lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him This and much more to the same purpose was the Doctrine of the true Christian Ministers as the Scriptures of Truth more at large declare and the true Ministers of Christ preach the same in our Age and Generation And as the true Ministers of Christ in his Authority preached his Divine Word Light Grace and Spirit so by the same they preached up the Liberty of his Gospel and true Christian Dispensation and preached down the use of the Ceremonies of the Jewish Law though formerly commanded of God and given by Moses his Servant which was then to cease being abolished by the Death of Christ they being in their time for Shadows and Types of good things to come by Christ but he the Substance being come having as they truly preached nailed them to his Cross and taken them out of the way they were not then to be used by them who had received the free and glorious liberty of his substantial Everlasting Gospel in the inward Spiritual Dispensation of his Word Light Grace and Spirit in their Hearts and Souls whereby they knew the glorious Liberty of the free-born Children of God they were not then to be subject to Ordinances neither burthened with Traditions nor to observe Days and Times as may at large be read in the holy Scriptures particularly in these places Gal. 4.9 10. Gal. 5.2 to 8. Eph. 2.13 to 17. Col. 2.14 to 23. Rom. 7.6 Heb. 7.11 12. But the deceitful Antichristian Ministers could not bring any into the True Faith which is in the Name Light Grace and Spirit of Christ for they were out of it themselves and were not faithful but disobedient to the Light and hated it and would not bring their own Deeds thereto lest they should be reproved thereby For though they might talk and preach of the Name Word Grace Light or Spirit of Christ and speak there of great swelling words to allure and draw others after them yet all that was but in disobedience to Christ and in deceit and therefore they could not by such Preaching bring any into the true Faith of Christ who is the Truth nor bring any to believe in his Light and Grace which they hated and did despite unto And the true Ministers preached that true Christians had put off the old Man with his deeds Col. 3.9 10 11 and had put on the new Man which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that Created him where there is neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision nor Uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond nor free but Christ is all and in all and they preached up a Spiritual Circumcision saying That he is not a Jew which is one outwardly Rom. 2.28 29. neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God And again saying to some Ye are Circumcised with the Circumcision made without Hands in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ being buried with him in Baptism Col. 2.11 12. to â—â—c end wherein you are also risen with him through the Faith of the Operation of God And it is plain that the Apostle here meant no outward Ordinance of Circumcision nor of Baptism for he writes after in the same Chapter thus If ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World why as though living in the World are ye subject to Ordinances or burdened with Traditions as some Translate it touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men Which things have indeed a shew of Wisdom in Will-worship and Humility and neglecting of the Body not in any Honour to the satisfying of the Flesh concerning which things he warned them lest any Man should beguile them or spoil them through Philosophy or vain Deceit after the Tradition of Men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ Read the Second Chapter to the Colossians And the same Apostle said Phil. 3.3 We are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh which sheweth plainly that they were Jews inwardly and of the inward Circumcision as all true Christians are And this agreeth with the Doctrine of Christ himself who said to the Samaritan Ye Worship ye know not what we know what we Worship for Salvation is of the Jews John 4.22 23 24. But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seekethsâ—â—â—h to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth So the Worship of the true Christians was in Spirit and in the Truth and in the obedience of the Spirit of Truth and not in outward Ordinances Observations of Times Will-worship nor in Acts of voluntary Humility and accordingly in the demonstration of the Spirit the true Christian Ministers preached and not in the words that Man's Wisdom teacheth but which the same Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost teacheth which preaching is foolishness to the natural Man 1 Cor. 2.13 14. for he receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that yields obedience to the Light or Manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every Man to profit withal he cometh to discern his own Estate and
〈…〉 By the FINGER of Gods Power AND His Visage Discovered by the Light of CHRIST JESUS and his Ministers Members Workes 〈◊〉 Lying Wonders Manifested by the Spirit of God a Manifestation whereof is given to every Man and Woman to profit withal With Friendly and Serious Invitations Exhortations and Warnings to all Professors of Christianity to beware that Antichristian Spirit that leadeth to Destruction and those Teachers who are Influenced by it Written in the Love of God by a Prisoner at Lancaster Castle for the Testimony of Truth and one of the People called in Scorn Quakers HENRY MOLLINEVX And Jesus answered and said unto them Take heed that no man deceive you for many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many and because Iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold Mat. 24.4 5 10 11. As ye have beard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists 1 John 2.18 LONDON Printed and Sold by T. Sâ—â—â—â— near the Meeting-house in White-Hart-Court in 〈◊〉 street 1695. THE PREFACE TO THE READER Friendly Reader IT hath been a weighty Concern upon me for several Years to give forth in Writing a Testimony against the Spirit of Antichrist as I have through the Love and Mercy of God been made sensible thereof by the Manifestation of the Spirit of Christ Jesus the Son of the Living God and so having cleared and eased my Mind and Conscience of what hath lain upon me I commit to thee the following Treatise desiring that the fear and dread of the Lord God may constantly have a place in thy Heart in the Reading of it as it had in mine in the Writing of it and that will preserve thee Meek and Low in Heart in an aptness to Learn of Christ the Son of God's Love that many Professors of Christianity are but ignorantly talking of and so thou wilt not be apt to take offence nor stumble at the Truth as thou art made sensible of it in thy Heart but wilt be willing for thine own Eternal Good truly to examine thy self before the Lord in Secret how thou standest in thy Spiritual State and Condition before his All-seeing Eye for there was never more need for People to be truly concerned for the Salvation of their Precious Souls than there is now but they who walk not in the fear of the Lord slight it And if thou Reason saying Ah! But I am Unlearned and how should I understand or know the Truth For there are many great Scholars and Men Learned in Latin Greek and Hebrew and yet one sort of them preacheth one Doctrine and others other Doctrines and therefore how should I know which is the Truth I answer that thou mayest be as capable to know the Truth as if thou understood Latin and Greek and Hebrew for the Manifestation of the Spirit of Truth in thy own Heart that reproveth for Sin is sufficient to teach thee to know the Truth if thou believest in it and be truly willing to obey it and in disobedience to it none can know the Truth to their Comfort though they may perfectly understand Latin Greek and Hebrew the understanding whereof in its place may be good and serviceable Yet thou knowest not how soon thou must give an Account to the God of Truth how thou hast profited with the Manifestation of his Spirit of Truth which is given to thee to profit withal As for the Times and Manner of the Inventions setting up and establishing of the Popish Mass Ceremonies Tythes and other Trumpery I refer thee to a Book put forth by Francis Howgill in Two Parts the first Intituled The Glory of the True Church discovered and the latter Part The Rock of Ages exalted above Rome 's imagined Rock And also to a little Book called Popery Arraigned set forth by G. F. and E. H. it not being my present Concern so much to shew the Times and Persons and Manner how by whom and when the Popish Inventions came up in the Apostacy that being upon Record and sufficiently done before as to shew how much they are contrary to the Scriptures of Truth and to the Spirit of Truth by which those Scriptures were given forth and how many professing Christianity and Reformation from Popery are yet found in them and in an Antichristian Spirit and how they may know the evil thereof and come out of them that they may enjoy the pure Life of Christianity which is more than Profession thereof Herein several Popish Inventions and Practices are very little or none Treated of yet comprehended being contrary to the Scriptures of Truth and the Witness of God in every Heart in them who truly take heed to it will Testifie against them such as their Worshipping of Images and Pictures and Relicks and Bones of the Dead and praying to the Dead and for the Dead and counting their Prayers by Beads as if they thought like the Heathens of which Chirst spake that they should be heard for their much speaking or babling with their Mattens and Letanies and their Idle Complements and giving of Flattering Titles c. and also their being divided into many distinct and different Orders and Sorts of Monks Friars and Jesuits and yet they plead or cry up Unity and also their Orders for Barbarian Praying wilfully in an Unknown Tongue and their not permitting to the People the Scriptures of Truth in their own Language which were publick amongst the Primitive Christians who searched them daily and found great Comfort by them and the Apostles and Holy Men of God wrote in a Known Tongue or Mother Tongue to whom they wrote that all might understand them and be edified by them in the Spirit of Christ by which only the Scriptures of Truth may be truly understood And so I commit thee to the Word of God's Grace which is the Light or Manifestation of the Spirit of Christ in thine own Heart by which only thou mayest be made sensible to understand aright the Things that Concern thy Everlasting Peace and Happiness who am a Well-wisher to all Mankind H. M. THE CONTENTS COncerning the Prevailings of Antichrist and his being manifested in the Primitive Times of Christianity and the Prophesies of him from Page 1 to 32. Concerning the Power of Antichrist and also concerning Freedom from Sin and concerning the Popes and Babylon from Page 32 to 105. Concerning Baptism and the Lord's Supper and also concerning the Signs of Antichrist and Fighting and Persecution and Tythes and the Spirit that denieth Christ come in the Flesh from Page 105 to 233. Concerning Reformation from Popery and Constancy and Inconstancy to Professions from Page 233 to 251. Concerning the Wonders of Antichrist and concerning them that say lo here and lo there from Page 251 to 258. Concerning the Rock on which the Church of Christ is Built and the Popes pretended Headship and Infallibility and Popish Persecutions from Page 258 to 270. Concerning the Popes pretended Stewardship from Page
of Christ beareth witness with true Christians â—om 8.16 1 John â— 10 that they are the Children of God and consequently their Spirits bear witness of the same with the Spirit of Christ and he that is of God hath the witness in himself But he that is not sensible of the Spirit of Christ thus to witness in him that he is a Child of God hath not he the Manifestation or Testimony of the Spirit though possibly he may not believe what it is that in his Heart and Conscience testifies that he is of his Father the Devil Surely these things are of great importance and are worthy to be seriously and weightily considered of by all People who desire the Salvation of their precious Souls and they who have truly believed in the Light of Christ and yielded obedience thereunto have therein and thereby seen and weightily considered these things and have learned and are learning to avoid the Snares of the Devil's deceit of Unrighteousness wherewith he beguiles many to the Loss of their Souls Happiness Eternally although such when so beguiled may profess Christianity and look upon themselves to be Christians But the Light of Christ in true Christians sheweth and discovereth to them the Deceit of their Spiritual Enemy in all his Appearances both in their own particulars and in others his deceived deceitful Members and Ministers who in his Service may profess Christianity For true Christians are the Sheep of Christ which hear and know his Voice and follow him John 10.3 to 14. and a Stranger they will not follow for they know not the Voice of Strangers but Christ is the good Shepherd who giveth his Life for the Sheep and said he I know them and am known of mine whereby it is evident that true Christians have a true discerning of the Voice of Christ which is the Light or Manifestation of his Spirit in them from the Voice of a Stranger which saith he they will flee from whether in themselves or from others And such may rightly be called Strangers who disobey the Light Voice and Spirit of Christ Eph. 4.18 19 20 21. Eph. 2.12 Isa 42.6 Isa 49.6 which if they obeyed it would lead them in the Way of Life which through disobedience they err from and lose and so become alienated from the Life of God and Righteousness and true Christianity and such are Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise which is Christ the true Light and God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth And to such Christ is a Stranger though they may profess great things in his Name and in the Sentence of true Judgment he will say unto them they not being termed his Sheep but Goats I was a Stranger Mat. 25.33.43 46. and ye took me not in and then when such cannot be received of Christ they shall begin to say We have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets but he will say I tell you I know you not whence you are Luke 13.26 depart from me all ye Workers of Iniquity and these shall go away into Everlasting Punishment And those that say Lord Lord but do not the Will of God but disobey his Voice Light Grace and Spirit whereby he would teach and lead them to Eternal Rest and Happiness when they shall say to Christ Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful Works then for all their large Profession he will profess unto them saying I never knew you Mat. 7.21 22 23. depart from me ye that work Iniquity And among all sorts of People called Christians there will at last appear to be but two to wit true and false or Sheep and Goats and it is very like that the Sheep know themselves from Goats and if the Goats be not very senceless they may possibly by the Light discern that they are none of the Sheep And all that by true Examination of themselves in the Light of Christ do perceive that they are not of his Sheep who know him and his Voice in them they must upon necessity of Salvation yield up their whole Hearts to seek the Lord if they expect Mercy from him who is a God of Mercy to all that truly fear him and also hearken to the Voice Light and Manifestation of the Spirit of his Son Christ Jesus in their Hearts Souls and Consciences to which as they are faithful and wait diligently and seriously always in his fear which will keep their Hearts clean and upright to him they in due time may come truly to know not only a following of the Lamb which is likewise the great Shepherd of the Sheep but also a being created anew into the Lamb-like Nature and so a being made new Creatures even Lambs or Sheep of the one Fold of Eternal Rest whereof Christ Jesus the Lamb without blemish is the true Shepherd who leads and brings thither his Sheep John 10.16 Them said he I must bring and they shall hear my Voice and there shall be one Fold and one Shepherd So then true Christians which are the Sheep of Christ they hear the Voice of Christ they walk in his Light they are taught by his Grace and they are led by the Manifestation of his Spirit in their Hearts Souls and Consciences which Voice Light Grace and Manifestation is one And the true Christians did not only know them who were gone out from them to be Antichrists but they also knew that then amongst them there was false Brethren Gal. 2.4 2 Cor. 11.26 Jude 4. who came in amongst them privily to spy out their true Christian Liberty whom the true Christians then knew to be perilous And the true Ministers of Christ in and by his Light and Spirit saw and prophesied of an Apostacy or falling away from the Truth and that among Christians because they would not receive the love of the Truth which in the inward parts God loveth that they might be saved therefore said the Apostle Paul God shall send them strong Delusions 2 Thes 2.11 12. that they should believe a Lye that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness And likewise the same Apostle Paul prophesied of the Man of Sin being revealed the Son of Perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And be said to the Thessalonians 2 Thes 2.1 to 13. Ye know what with-holdeth that he might be revealed in his time for the mystery of Iniquity doth already work only he who now leâ—teth will let until he be taken out of the way and then shall that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his Mouth and shall destroy with the Brightness of his
Fruit must be cast into the Fire and there must lie how can the Pope or any Man else recover such out of the Fire And if it be the wide Gate and broad Way that leadeth to Destruction how can they that walk therein escape Destruction or the Pope deliver them from it when they come to the end of their Journey But yet this Antichristian Doctrine of a Purgatory after this Life is upheld by the Popes and by their Cardinals Bishops and Councils to their great gain of Money to themselves and their Clergy so called and upon this groundless point of their Faith hangs many of their Antichristian Ceremonies to get Money by as their Trentals Masses Diriges Requiems Indulgences Pardons Jubilees and their pretended power of Binding and Loosing and their Prayers for the Dead And though many pretending Reformation from Popery deny their Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead yet they claim Popish Wages for Praying for the Dead which they call Mortuaries and annex it to their Tythes for which they cast them that cannot for Conscience sake pay them into Prison and so they deny the Work but claim the Wages which is more unreasonable then to work for Wages And it is a general Tenet of pretended Reformists that none can be fully cleansed from Sin on this side the Grave and yet confess they that no unclean thing shall enter into Heaven and then where must they be cleansed or how will they escape the Popes Purgatory which they also deny And the Popes and their Abettors on the other hand say Council of Trent Can. 10. Ellar lib. 2 de justific chap. 2. pag. 129. That they can do more good Works than God hath commanded which they call Works of Supererogation which they hold not only meritorious of Eternal Life and of singular Glory in Heaven but also that they may communicate of the abundance of these their Merits unto others but this Doctrine is also false and also Antichristian For the Apostle of Christ said I laboured more abundantly then they all speaking of the Apostles and yet not I 1 Cor. 15.10 but the Grace of God which was with me and by the Grace of God said he I am what I am and said he the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us so it was his Teacher or Commander that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.11 12. we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present world So the Grace of God teacheth to live Godly or like God who worketh all in all in his Servants and by his Spirit the Manifestation whereof is given to every Man to profit withal giveth the Word of Wisdom and Faith 1 Cor. 12.6 7 to 12. and Gists of Healing and working of Miracles and discerning of Spirits c. dividing to every Man severally as he will and so it is God that worketh in his People both to will and to do Phil. 2.13 Isa 64.6 of his own good pleasure and all Man 's own Righteousness is as filthy Rags Therefore they who say 1 John 4.17 1 John 3.3 7. that they can out-live the Teachings or Commands of the Grace of God which teacheth to live Godly or like God as true Christians do it is plain that such are not as true Christians are the workmanship of God by his Grace created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath ordained and prepared for his Servants to walk in Eph. 2.10 but it is certain that such are exalted in their Imaginations by the working of the Man of Sin who is exalted in them above the Word of God's Power in their Hearts and so he as God sitteth in the Temple of God the Heart shewing himself that he is their God Acts 20.28 Heb. 9.12 who with his wicked deceivableness hath deceived them in a high degree or else they durst not speak such Words or teach such Doctrine And so no Men can communicate any of their Merits towards the saving of others that Pretence being an abominable Cheat to get Money by for true Christians are what they are by the Grace of God and the working thereof in their Hearts and never pretend to any of their own Merits for their Salvation is only by Christ who bath obtained Eternal Redemption for them and purchased them with his own Blood And as the Man of Sin is yielded unto obeyed and worshipped by them upon whom he prevaiss with his Temptations he becomes exalted in their minds and proud ambitious and imperious like himself and then they are offended when others do not bow or submit unto them and as by his deceit he prevaileth in them he makes them like himself Deceivers Lyars and Hypocrites and yet they would be called true Christians and Children of God like the Jews formerly who were in the same Nature though not Profession to whom Christ said Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do John 8.44 he was a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him And so the Devil being a Murtherer and a Lyar makes his Children and Servants as like himself as he can of a murthering lying Spirit and apt to persecute and murther those over whom they have the power that cannot comply with their Doctrines Worships Traditions Inventions Customs and Practices by them in the dark and woful Apostasy from the Truth invented ordained set up and practised And all false Churches or gatherings of People what Name soever they go under are all one in the ground for being erred from the Light and Spirit of Christ who is the Way of God the Truth it self and the Life of Righteousness they are all wandred into Confusion and that is the ground in which all who are erred from the Light of Christ in themselves remain let them profess what they will And so as Babel's Builders of Old would build themselves a Tower whose top might reach to Heaven but were defeated by being all confounded in their Languages who before were all of one Speech and of one Language so all that are erred from the Light of Christ in themselves being gone into Confusion inwardly they would have a Tower or a Way of their own making or building to get to Heaven by and they can but build it where they are that is in Confusion And so all who are erred and strayed from the Way of God the Light of Christ in their own Hearts and depend upon Men of Languages to teach them or guide them to Heaven are in Confusion and may fitly be called Children of Babylon and Mystery Babylon the Great is their Mother who is the Mother of Harlots Rev. 17. and Abominations of the Earth whom the Servant of Christ saw drunken with the Blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Jesus and this Woman is the great Whore that sitteth upon many Waters which
as Strangers to it and had not tryed the Vertue of it For the Scriptures also are herein very plain John 1.1 4 9. that this Light is the Life which was in the Eternal Word which is Christ which was in the beginning with God which Word was and is God and so this Light is certainly divine and consequently sufficient to lead to Salvation all that faithfully give up with all their Hearts Tit. 2.11 12. Eph. 2.8 2 Cor. 12.9 to follow it and obey its Requirings and this Light is the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation which hath appeared to all Men and was the true Christians Teacher and by it they were saved through Faith for it was and is sufficient and it was and is the Manifestation of the Spirit of Christ which is given to every Man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 Eph. 5.13 Rom. 1.10 and whatsoever maketh manifest is Light which maketh manifest all things that are reproved and whatsoever may be known of God is manifest within But the said Teachers said That Revelation was now ceased and that in our days none must expect to enjoy God or Christ in his inward appearance in the Heart Soul and Conscience in which his Servants the Prophets Apostles and true Christians enjoyed him in days past but that now God hath in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament called the Bible given us wholly to understand our Duty towards him and one unto another and that none can know God but by the Scriptures And indeed none can know God but by that which the Scriptures declare of which is the Light or Spirit for I then knew certainly that though I had often with zeal and delight read the Scriptures yet I knew not rightly my own condition nor how far I was from the state of a true Christian till I gave diligent heed to the Light of Christ the Grace of God in my own Heart and Conscience and as I waited low in it by it I received a clear discovery of my own state towards God and what was needful for me to know And though the Apostle Paul writing to Timothy saith Of a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation yet saith he it is through Faith which is in Christ Jesus Mark that Rom. 10.6 7 8. It is through Faith which is in Christ Jesus the Light and the Word of Faith nigh in the Heart and in the Mouth And saith Paul All Scripture given by Insporation of God is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works So they that deny Perfection through Faith which is in Christ Jesus to be attainable on this side the Grave for which end the Scriptures by the Inspiration of God were given do not such deny the very end for which the Scriptures were given But the Apostle Paul did not write according to the common Translation that All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God Take notice of this for the Word Is is added there being nothing for it in the original Greek Copies And also the Word Scriptures signifieth Writings whether good or bad and no bad Writings are given by the Inspiration of God Therefore they that profess the Scriptures to be their Rule and Standard should not add to their Rule or Standard lest they be found to falsify it And so whilst I was thus reasoning with my former Teachers I became fully satisfied concerning their Ignorance of the Truth and their Insufficiency to be Teachers or Guides to direct in the Way of Salvation being out of it themselves and so I became as it were weaned and in weaning from the Breast I had formerly sucked which was the Conceivings of the Wisdom of Men and in the Eyes of the World I became a Fool and was reckoned mad and a Changeling and I durst not give way to the Entreaties nor to the Threatnings neither of Parent nor Relations though near and dear unto me whose Welfare every way I defired as my own yet then they became as mine Enemies being mightily offended with me though after some time more Friendly again then before some of them came to be unto me And when the said Teachers said unto me Why do you question our Religion for we exhort People to Vertue and to live Holily and to strive against Sin I answered saying Whether is it possible that the Soul of Man may be Cleansed from Sin on this side the Grave They replyed No then considered I Ah! then where must my Soul be cleansed and to strive and fight against Sin all the time of a Man's Life and never to get the Victory but always to be overcome surely this is not the good Fight of Faith but a very uncomfortable fighting when a man knoweth or thinketh before he fight that he certainly must be conquered And when they said unto me You may live as Holily and as strictly and as free from Sin as you can or will and yet continue of our Religion too for we command no Vices nor are not against any of our Hearers living holily and strictly but advise them to it Then I answered Ah! but I am unsatisfied and I have read in the Scriptures That they who seek the Lord with all their Heart shall find him and I believe this is true but alas I have not yet found him to my Satisfaction and I am resolved whatever cometh to seek him with all my Heart and I hope that I shall find him and so I considered that he who would find the Lord to his satisfaction and enjoy his Blessing must not walk in the Counsel of the Ungodly nor stand in the Way of Sinners and so I durst no longer join with them in their Worship For I believed that they who seek God aright and so find him to their Satisfaction must seek him Inwardly and Spiritually for he is a Spirit and is not to be found in Carnal Ordinances Ceremonies or Traditions of Men which the said Teachers pleaded for and I had been very zealous in those things but found no profit until I took heed to the Light of Christ in mine own Heart and Conscience And as I continued waiting upon God in his Light and taking heed unto it the Day dawned more and more upon me and the Day-Star arose in my Heart and I plainly saw the emptiness of all outward Ceremonies invented in the wosul Night of Apostasy and set up when the Power of Darkness ruled in the Heart by such as were disobedient to the Light in their own Wills and for filthy Lucres sake And I came to see plainly that the true Worship of God is only performed in his own Spirit and Truth the Mani estation whereof is the true Light out of which none can know God nor worship him acceptably but worship they know not
only by his Light in his Faithful People revealeth the Man of Sin but also with the Spirit of his Mouth will consume and with the Brightness of his Coming will destroy the Man of Sin and his Works these having tasted and experienced something of the Goodness of God to their Souls not only of the Revelation but also of the Destruction of the Man of Sin and his Works in themselves and also having sweet and satisfactory Comfort and Consolation in their Hearts in the Love of God given unto them these cannot with the Times turn as Hypocrites do from one Profession of Religion to another for these are fully satisfied concerning the Way of God which is straight and narrow and not like the Ways of the Man of Sin the Devil the Serpent which are crooked like himself and broad and wide and can hold of all sorts of Professors and too many go in thereat But these being Children of the God of Truth who is Light they love to walk in their Fathers way which is the true Light and so they cannot neither dare they go out of it into the Ways of the Man of Sin and so serve him again in the least for they have had too much of his Tyrannical Servitude before and though his Children love his Ways wherein they have their pain bringing Pleasures yet the Children of God love them not but in the fear of God hate them all and love the Light of Christ Jesus in their Hearts the Way of God their Father And so it is in vain for Men to offer to force them out of God's Way into their ways for they dare not for fear of offending their Heavenly Father comply in the least to Worship God after any other Way or Manner but as he manifesteth himself in the Light of his Spirit of Truth in their Hearts and Consciences in which only with acceptance he is to be worshipped Neither can they again embrace or come into the Bondage of Corruptible Elements Ceremonies or Traditions of Men Gal. 4.9 Rom. 8.14 to 22. for which there is no warrant from God their Father lest they forfeit their glorious liberty of the Children of God Gal. 5.1 Tim. 2.12 Phil. 1.29 1 Pet. 4.12 to 19. Col. 1.23 to 28. whose Spirit beareth witness with their Spirits that they are the Children of God and if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-heirs with Christ And they know that if they suffer with him they shall also be glorified together and they account that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in them And such can truly rejoice that unto them it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake and this was the state of the Primitive Christians And as there is a great difference between the outward husk sign or shew of Religion of the Followers of the Man of Sin who are his Children and the pure spiritual undefiled Worship and Religion of the Followers of Christ who are Children of God so there is as great a difference between the Nature of the true Christians and false and between the Children of God and the Children of the Devil and also between the Persecutor for Religion and the Persecuted for true Religion and so doubtless as great a difference will and must be between their Rewards And so every one Male or Female Rich or Poor High or Low as they tender the Eternal Salvation of their precious Souls are to examine themselves in and by the true Light of Christ Jesus which is the Manifestation of his Spirit in their Hearts whether they Worship God in his Light John 4.20 to 25. Mat. 15.7 8 9. Isa 29.13 14. Acts 17 22 to 31. Col. 2.6 to 23. Mat. 15.2 to 15. and Spirit and Truth in which only his pure spiritual undefiled Worship is acceptably performed Or whether their Worship â—e formal and taught and prescribed by the Traditions Precepts and Commandments of Men and so but a sign or shew of Religion being Will-worship and Voluntary Humility which Christ and his Apostles warned People to beware of For all such Worshippers worship God in vain or worship they know not what and the Reward of Hypocrisie shall be their Portion for they be Blind leading of the Blind and if the Blind lead the Blind both shall fall into the Ditch And likewise it concerneth all truly to examine themselves inwardly in the Light of Christ whether they be Baptized truly with the one Baptism of Christ by his spiritual Water and the Fire and Fan of his Spirit with which he will and is able thorowly to purge his Floor Mat. 3.11.12 Heb. 9.14 1 Pet. 1.22 23. even the Hearts Souls and Consciences of true Believers and that only maketh fit to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven And so whether they be Children of the Light and of God who is Light and Born again of the Water and of the Spirit whose witness agreeth in one witnessing with their Spirits that they are the Children of God Born of his Incorruptible Word which liveth and abideth for ever Or whether they have only been Baptized or Sprinkled with Water by a Man and because thereof are taught to believe that then they were made Children of God and Members of Christ and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven And if they have no better Assurance than such Baptizing or Sprinkling with outward Water then the Light and Spirit of Christ will bear witness in their Hearts that they are not Children of Light nor of God and then whose Children are they And likewise all may examine themselves in and by the true Light in their Hearts whether they be in the true Religion or not That is Whether or no they be true Christians John 6.45 who are all taught of God by the Light Grace and Spirit of his Son Christ Jesus in their Hearts Or they be but Pretenders to Christianity having a Profession or Form of Godliness but denying the Life and Power thereof resisting and rebelling against the strivings and movings and teachings of the Light Grace and Spirit of Christ and embracing and complying with the temptations motions and teachings of the Spirit of Antichrist and the Power of Darkness which is the Devil And such can profess that they know God Tit. 1.15 16. but in Works they deny him which is abominable And every one that doth Truth John 3.18.19 20 21. cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God but every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved or discovered and so loving Darkness rather than the Light that is the Condemnation And it is certain that all who love not the Light of Christ Jesus in themselves and believe not in the sufficiency of it are deceived by the deceivableness of
are taught of it to watch in it continually against every Appearance of Evil and of the Author thereof the Devil their Adversary 1 Pet. 5.8 who as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour and so they are to be continually careful according to the Command of Christ and his Apostles that no Man deceive them and to prove all things and hold fast that which is good for it is not a trivial thing but a weighty concern to them and of absolute necessity to the Salvation of their Souls to be always watching against and waiting to be preserved from the beguiling deceit of the Devil and his Instruments who with all his Power and Signs and lying Wonders are continually endeavouring to deceive which deceivableness of unrighteousness is-so apt to prevail upon Mankind that Christ said If it were possible they should deceive the very elect and then surely the careless and rebellious are like to be deceived by them and led to Eternal Misery And although Christ and his Apostles advised and commanded to beware of them which should shew great Signs and Wonders yet some have been and are so far erred from the true Light and Doctrine of Christ that they not only tell and make Books of the great Wonders which they say have been done by and amongst them but also reckon them as certain Marks of the Church of Christ though Christ and his Apostles told of them being the Mark of Antichrist and the false Prophets And so with their Wonders and Powers and Signs they have deceived and do deceive many as Christ and his Apostles foretold And as the Apostle John prophesied concerning the Beast that he beheld coming up out of the Earth that doth great Wonders Rev. 13.11 to 15. so that he maketh Fire to come down from Heaven upon the Earth in the sight of Men and deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth by the means of those Miracles which he had power to do so it is that which comes up out of the Earth not that which cometh down from Heaven that doth their great Wonders and it is that which is learned at their Schools Colledges and Academies of Earthly and Spoiling Philosophy and Vain Deceit Col. 2. â— which the Apostle charged to beware of and not that which is received of Christ Jesus that capacitates the Members of Antichrist and of the Beast to be so prevalent with their Power Signs Wonders and Alluring Enchantments and Poysonous Societies upon People to deceive them Rev. 18.23 Eph. 5.6 Rom. 16.18 by their Enticing Words and Fair Speeches and their making a pretence of Christianity by coming in Christ's Name though he never sent them and their saying that he is Christ covering themselves with a Profession of him But wo saith the Lord to the Rebellious Children that take Counsel but not of me and that cover with in covering but not of my Spirit Isa 30.1 And so the Members of Antichrist the Man of Sin who are learned in the Mysteries of their Craft and are influenced with the beguiling subtilty of their Master the Serpent they imploy all their Wits Arts and Parts in their earthly and sensual Wisdom and for their earthly and quickly perishing Gain to draw Peoples Minds from the Light the Manifestation of the Spirit of Christ in their Hearts which is given to them to profit withal that so they may keep them under the power of Darkness and in Admiration of their Teachings Signs Ceremonies Splendor and Wonders with which they infatuate the Ears Eyes and Minds of People that so they may depend upon them and rest under their covering of Profession And those that such Deceivers could not prevail upon to follow them in their Superstitious Practices them they oftentimes Burned or Sentenced to be Burned to Death when they had power in their Hands as woful Experience hath largely declared and for their so doing pretended Authority from Heaven and doth not this their wondrous murdering practice and pretence of having Authority from Heaven to Burn People seem somewhat like the Beast's making Fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of Men And those that are prevailed upon by them and do admire their Signs and Wonders might possibly have as much or more admired the Wonders done by the Magicians of Egypt Exod. 7.11 to 23. in causing their Rods to become Serpents and the Waters to become Blood and in bringing up Frogs upon the Land of Egypt and those that cover with a covering and not of the Spirit of the Lord and ask not at his Mouth but walk to go down as into Egypt a Land of Darkness to strengthen themselves as in the strength of Pharaoh and trust as in the shadow of Egypt Isa 30.1 2 3 the strength of Pharaoh shall be their shame and the trust in the shadow of Egypt their Confusion It may be objected that Christ and his Apostles confirmed his Doctrine by Miracles but then that was at the first when they preached down the outward Law and the Ceremonies thereof which God had commanded them by Moses that they should observe And when they first published the Glad-tydings of the Gospel of the Grace and Peace of Christ Heb. 8.9 10 11. the New Covenant before promised the Law written in the Heart But they who neglect this inward Law who now reckon of their Wonders have and retain many Ceremonies and Superstitious Practices for which they have no Ground nor Warrant from God nor Christ nor his Apostles as the Jews had for theirs and so there is no need of outward Miracles to confirm the preaching down of their modern Superstitious Ceremonies they being plainly repugnant to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles Recorded in the Scriptures of Truth which contain also Prophesies of their Signs and Wonders too to come in the Apostacy which things are exactly come to pass And it is more than they can do by all their Miracles if they can do any to confirm any Honest hearted true seeker after God in their Belief of many of the Wonder pleaders Doctrines as that of Transubstantiation and of Purgatory Prayers to and for the Dead Indulgences for Money Worship of Images c. Stories of Wonders will convince few that their Faith and Practice concerning these things is acceptable with God Now we read of as many or more that vilified the outward Miracles that Christ did as were Converted to him by them And they to whom Christ himself preached Mat. 9.34 Mat. 12.24 Mark 3.22 Luke 11.15 Jo. 12.36.37 Jo. 10.19.21 22. saying While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be the children of light Though he had done many Miracles before them yet they believed not on him And the whole multitude of the Country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them for they were taken with a great fear because of a notable Miracle that he had wrought amongst them and so